Barring any last-minute change, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will today formally register with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and pick up his membership card.

Top aides confirmed to Daily Trust on Sunday that final arrangements had been concluded for Atiku to register at Jada Ward 1 in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

The former vice president hinted at the development during a meeting held earlier today with the Adamawa State ADC leadership in Yola.

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“In Nigeria as a whole, there is a new political movement, is it not so? Today, the new movement has taken us to where? To the ADC. So, the people of Adamawa and Nigeria, our new party is ADC and our new leaders in Adamawa are here seated,” he said.

“After that, on Monday, I will be officially in the ADC. Before now, I was not in; you were there before me. Will you accept me?” he asked, to which the crowd responded with a resounding “Yes”.

He added: “May God allow us to witness Monday. It is tomorrow; we are hopeful to meet tomorrow.”

Until now, there had been doubts over the level of commitment of both Atiku and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the ADC after the opposition coalition they jointly lead adopted the party in July as its platform for the 2027 presidential election.

However, when asked last month why the coalition leaders were yet to formally join the ADC, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, explained that there were no valid membership cards at the time.

“The cards used before are invalid since the emergence of the new leadership. The valid cards are those signed by the new national chairman, Senator David Mark, and the secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,” he said.

But Atiku’s formal entrance now followed the announcement by Aregbesola on November 19 officially commencing registration and membership validation.

“As a demonstration of my commitment, I completed my own symbolic registration at Ward 8, Unit 1, Ifofin, in Ilesa East Local Government Area of Osun State,” Aregbesola said via his social media handles, urging existing members to validate their membership and new entrants to register.

Atiku, Obi ambitions place ADC at a crossroads

Despite the explanations for the delayed registration, the absence of Atiku and Obi at the unveiling of the ADC’s new national secretariat last week further fuelled concerns over their alignment with the coalition’s strategy.

The party’s spokesman dismissed reports suggesting Obi’s absence was deliberate due to the building having previously served as Atiku’s campaign headquarters. He clarified that Obi was out of the country, while Atiku had other engagements.

Observers, however, noted that the political ambitions of both men remained a major challenge the coalition must address. Atiku, who turns 79 on Tuesday, has contested for president three times and flew the PDP ticket in the last two elections, with Obi as his running mate in 2019. They parted ways ahead of the 2023 elections, when Obi ran under the Labour Party, finishing third behind APC’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Atiku.

Their combined 12 million votes in 2023 exceeded Tinubu’s eight million, reinforcing arguments that a united opposition could have defeated the APC.

While Atiku has signalled interest in contesting again in 2027, Obi has also insisted he will be on the ballot, with his Obidient Movement opposing any suggestion of him serving as a running mate again.

Abdullahi said the ADC was not worried about their ambitions.

“When the time comes to choose our presidential candidate, it will be through a democratic process that Nigerians can see for themselves. That’s why I said there’s no real conflict of ambition,” he stated.

Crisis in Adamawa ADC

Atiku’s formal entry today is expected to test the strength of the ADC’s internal structure, particularly amid the leadership tussle rocking the Adamawa chapter.

The party has splintered into three factions, each claiming legitimate chairmanship. The divisions have pitted allies of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal against supporters of Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani, while the incumbent chairman, Shehu Yohanna, insists he remains the substantive leader.

While Lawal’s camp, backed by the National Working Committee, endorsed Sadiq Dasin, Binani’s faction recognised Saidu Komsiri. Yohanna, however, maintained his position as the legitimate chairman.

Although Atiku had earlier congratulated Dasin on his inauguration, he met with Yohanna on Sunday and indicated that he would receive his membership card from him today, signalling his recognition of Yohanna’s leadership.

Speaking to Daily Trust yesterday, Yohanna declined to comment on his relationship with Dasin, citing ongoing litigation, but confirmed he would be in Jada to support Atiku’s registration.

Calls to both Komsiri and Dasin were unanswered, and text messages were also ignored.

Analyst: It’s a new dawn for the opposition

A political analyst, Ismail Mohammed, described Atiku’s entry as a significant development for the ADC and the opposition ahead of 2027.

“Atiku is a strong party member and his entry will galvanise a lot of activities not only in the state but across the country because he has a lot of followership,” he said.

He added that his return could usher in “an era where a lot of positive development will happen,” citing goodwill, strong political structures and widespread support.

“It is a big moment for the party. It is a big moment for the opposition. The APC is going to have a very tough time,” he asserted.

On the leadership dispute, Mohammed claimed the crisis had been resolved through Atiku’s intervention.

“Now Shehu Yohanna is the recognised party chairman, and all the other contenders have yielded to Atiku’s directive,” he said.

As Atiku formally receives his membership card today, stakeholders within and outside the ADC will be watching closely to see whether his influence can stabilise the party at home and strengthen its prospects ahead of the 2027 general elections.